Genius award for Oakland man who works to end poverty

In June, The Chronicle Insight section featured a piece by Brenda Payton on the Family Independence Initiative, an Oakland group that was working to help Laotian immigrants at the Iu Mien Cultural Center find ways into economic stability. Monday, Payton notes, Maurice Lim Miller, founder and CEO of the Family Independence Initiative, was awarded a “Genius” MacArthur grant today by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

In responding to a challenge by former Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown to design a more effective means of ending poverty, Miller looked to the example of his mother who had only a third grade education but made sure he received a college education.
“I’m deeply honored to receive this award,” Miller was quoted on the organization’s website. “It’s a testament to the families FII has worked with over the last decade. I hope this attention spurs our country to rethink how we approach economic hardship and mobility. My work shows that poor people are broke, not broken. When we create environments for people to work together and solve their own problems and provide resources based on their initiative, families have a deep capacity to transform their lives.”
Grantees are awarded $100,000 for five years to continue their work.